5 feared people dead in a stampede over Ramadan gifts

5 people were said to had lost their lives in a stampede while waiting to collect Ramadan gifts from a businessman in Kaduna yesterday.

It was learnt that many others fainted during the stampede. The incident happened when people learnt that a businessman,who deals in dairy products, was sharing gifts at the Kabala Constain area in Kaduna North local government area of the state.

An eyewitness at the venue said that a large number of people flooded the place where the gifts were being shared. He said everyone was there, both able and physically challenged persons came in their hundreds, the whole place became chaotic which led to a stampede. He further said when they arrived at the venue, his set was ordered to queue on a separate line while the able and women also have their own line. Mohammed stated that when the businessman arrived to give out the gifts, the women line was first chosen and it was in the process that the stampede occurred, which led to the death of five persons.

But the Kaduna Police Command’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Zubairu,confirmed there was a stampede but he said nobody died during the stampede. He added that the command deployed its personnel to the venue explaining that the team did not report any death. But another eyewitness told reporters that her sister informed her that there would be sharing of gifts at Tyosco Yoghurt, and reported that her sister was one of the victims of the stampede.